Panel mounting construction

ABSTRACT

A panel mounting construction having a horizontal support secured to a building and having a longitudinal track adjustably supporting a plurality of members suspending uprights adapted to be secured to the building and provide spaced anchorage for selflocking securing members inserted through openings in the vertical margins of wall-forming panels. Trim members are anchored to at least the upper horizontal edges of the panels.

United States Patent Miller [4 1 Sept. 12, 1972 PANEL MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION Mark A. Miller, 3575 Gordon Rd., Elkhart, Ind. 46514 Filed: Feb. 10, 1971 Appl. No.: 114,254

Inventor:

US. Cl. ..52/481, 52/238, 52/287, 52/489 Int. Cl. ..E04b 2/82 Field of Search ..52/479, 481, 489, 287, 288, 52/238, 241

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Small ..'.52/2s7 Olsen ..52/489 X Olsen .Q ..52/489 2,900,677 8/ 1959 Yetter ..52/489 X 2,947,093 8/1960 Masters ..52/489 X 3,276,180 10/ l 966 Westinghouse ..52/489 3,292,328 12/ 1966 Lewis et al ..52/481 X Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw, Jr. Attorney-Oltsch & Knoblock 57 Y ABSTRACT A panel mounting construction having a horizontal support secured to a building and having a longitudinal track adjustably supporting a plurality of members suspending uprights adapted to be secured to the building and provide spaced anchorage for selflocking securing members inserted through openings in the vertical margins of wall-forming panels. Trim members are anchored to at least the upper horizontal edges of the panels.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEBSEP 12 1972 I SHEET 1 OF 2 V IN VENTUR. MARK A. M/LLER ATTORNEYS PLA'TENTEDSEP 1912 3,690,083

SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR. MA RK A. M/. L ER m ffim ATTORNEYS PANEL MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to improvements in panel mounting constructions, and more particularly to means for mounting panels which form the surfaces of building walls, and particularly interior building walls.

One of the conventional methods of mounting wall panels, and particularly plywood or other panels having a decorative or protective surface, coating or covering, is to nail the panels to wood strips or framing, such as furring strips which have been nailed to an interior wall of the building. This requires the services of skilled workmen and substantial amounts of time at the job site. Other procedures contemplated have entailed the requirement to use building studs of pre-formed character in the erection of the wall, and to use panels and clips correlated to the particular type of preformed wall studs used or other structure or framing. Such structures or parts do not permit application of paneling to a conventional wall, and are subject to objection because of cost and the requirement to process panels on the job by grooving, step-mitering or the like, in order to convert standard panels to panels of dimensions conforming to the requirements of the job.

It is the primary object of this invention to produce a panel mounting construction which reduces to a minimum the amount of labor necessary to be performed on a job site to adopt standard products to the requirements of the job and simplifies the types of operations which are required on the job in order to panel a wall, and to overcome the disadvantages of prior devices as mentioned above.

A further object is to provide a construction including panel mounting parts which are pre-formed to fit together and which may be adhered to supporting structures to eliminate the need for nails, screws or like securing members.

A further object is to provide a panel mounting structure wherein horizontal support members suspend vertical members secured to a supporting structure and adapted for reception by preformed self-locking anchoring members for securing panels thereto.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having panel mounting members engageable by self-locking retainers to anchor panels in an operative position to said members.

A further object is to provide a panel mounting unit with a novel trim strip structure anchored to the panels.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification:

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the mounting of panels to form the interior surfaces of building walls.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the portion in FIG. 1 which is encircled and identified by the numeral 2.17

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical detail sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and illustrating an embodiment of the invention slightly different from that illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating the parts of the structure or embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view of a modified construction of securing member.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the securing member illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of another modification of the device.

This panel mounting utilizes an elongated horizontal support secured at the top of a wall or structure and having a longitudinal track in which are mounted at selected intervals means for suspending vertical members secured to the wall or structure, as by adhering,

and provided with apertures to receive self-locking securing members seated in apertures at the margins of the panels which span the wall. Trim means may be interlocked with the horizontal margins of the panels.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a vertical building element, such as a wall or wall studs, the numeral 12 designates a horizontal building member, such as a building ceiling, and the numeral 14 designates a building floor; My improved wall panel mounting structure includes a horizontal support member 16 which is secured to the wall structure 10 adjacent the ceiling and carries at selected intervals suspension members or hooks 18, each of which carries the upper end of a vertical support member 20. Wall panels 22 are secured to the vertical members 20 at spaced intervals by self-locking securing members 24. Finish or trim members 26 may be applied to one or both horizontal margins of the panels 22, as adjacent either the floor or ceiling, or both.

The horizontal support member 16 is preferably a channel and preferably constitutes a plastic or metal extrusion, although it mayconstitute a sheet metal member formed in any suitable manner. The channel has a front or outer wall 30 whose longitudinal central portion is inwardly off-set or suitably formed to constitute a longitudinal track or guideway. As shown, the track constitutes rearwardly diverging wall parts 34 interconnected by web part 32. The track parts 32 and 34 preferably define a dovetail groove or slot interrupting the front wall 30 in which at least the upper wall part 34 is inclined. The upper and lower marginal portions of channel 16 constitute rearwardly extending legs or flanges 36 which preferably are of slightly greater depth than the track-forming wall parts 34. Coplanar rear flanges 38 project toward each other from the rear margins of the upper and lower flanges 36 to bear against the wall or wall frame members 10. The horizontal support 16 is anchored to the wall or members 10 in any suitable manner. I prefer to apply a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive 40 to the rear surfaces of the flanges 38, said adhesive having sufficient bonding strength to firmly anchor the support 16 to the supporting structure 10. It will be understood that the horizontal support 16 will extend at the upper margin of each wall to be covered by the wall panels 22. Also, it will be understood that, if desired, nails, screws or other securing means may be employed to anchor the support 16 in place.

The suspension members 18 are carried by slides, blocks or bars 42 of a size and shape to have a sliding interlocking fit in the track, guideway or groove of the support 16. Thus, the blocks 42 may have upper and lower surfaces complementary to the inner surfacesof the inwardly diverging wall parts 34 of the track groove of support 16. Each block 42 carries at or adjacent its center a forwardly projecting pin 44 to which is secured, and preferably pivoted, the upper end of a rigid, thin plate or sheet member 46 forming the shank of the suspension member 18. From the lower end of shank 46 project lateral hook or arm portions 48.

The suspension members 18 may take any of various forms, thus the form illustrated in FIG. 2 entails a shank 46 whose opposite side edges diverge downwardly and whose hooks 48 are of substantial width. It will be understood that the edges of book shank 46 need not diverge downwardly and that the suspension member may take other forms, such as a suspension member 18 of the form illustrated in FIG. 7 wherein the shank is of substantially uniform width and the projecting parts 48 extend only slightly from the shank at opposite sides of the lower end thereof.

The suspension members or hooks 18 may be formed of metal or plastic or any other suitable material.

The vertical supports are preferably channels and may be formed of metal or plastic extrusions or of sheet metal suitably formed. Each vertical support 20 is characterized by a front wall 50 from whose opposite margins extend rearwardly flanges 52 whose width is greater than the thickness of support 16, i.e. greater than the width of the flanges 36 of support 16. Coplanar inwardly directed flanges 54 extend from the rear margins of the rearward flanges 52. The exposed or rear faces of flanges 54 are preferably provided with a coating of adhesive 56. The adhesive coatings or layers 56 are preferably of the pressure-sensitive type. It will be understood that adhesive layers 40 and 56 are normally covered by wax paper or the like to protect them in storage, handling and transit, so that they can be rendered ready for adhesion to a support, such as wall 10, by removing the wax paper to expose the adhesive layer or coating, followed by pressure thereof against the wall or support 10.

- The front wall 50 of each vertical support channel 20 is interrupted by a central longitudinal rearwardly offset portion defmed by spaced rearwardly projecting walls 58 and a web 60 lying in a plane spaced forwardly from the plane of the flanges 54. Web 60 is preferably deformed or ribbed lengthwise thereof at 62 at spaced intervals for reinforcing purposes. At predetermined longitudinally spaced intervals web 60 is provided with perforations 64. Support channel 20 is also provided with a longitudinal series of openings in two or more of the rearwardly projecting portions thereof, such as ver tically elongated narrow perforations 66 formed in walls 58 and narrow perforations 68 formed in the marginal rearward flanges 52. Perforations 68 may be located in the marginal flanges 52 at any location suitable or desired and adapted to receive the legs or hooks 48 of a suspension member 18. In the form shown in FIG. 2, the marginal flanges of the support channel 20 are of substantial width so that the plane of the inset web 60 is located forwardly of the plane of the shank 46 of the suspension member and the tips of the books 48 have a span greater than the width of the member 20 so as to project through apertures 68. In the form illus trated in FIG. 3, a suspension member 18 as shown in FIG. 7 is used so that the hooks 48 of the suspension member are located forwardly or outwardly of the inset web 60 of channel 20 and extend through the suspension apertures 66. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, apertures 68 in the marginal flanges 52 of the member 20 may be dispensed with, and the hooks or legs 48' of the suspension member 18 may extend through apertures 66. Apertures 66 and 68 may be provided at spaced intervals, such as intervals of 1 foot or more, instead of being closed spaced as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Perforations 64 may similarly be spaced at selected regular intervals, such as intervals of 6 inches or twelve inches or any other selected dimen- $1011.

The support channel members 20 utilized to mount panels to span a given wall may be cut to length as required by the height of the wall, and each will preferably be cut with its upper edge a substantially predetermined distance from the uppermost of the apertures 66 and 68 and perforations 64.

The dimension by which the upper edge of each vertical support member 26 is cut from apertures 64, 66 and 68 is correlated to the dimensions of the support 16 and the suspension members 18, and is such that when suspension members 18 are anchored at the track of member 16 it can engage the uppermost or any selected set of opposed apertures 66 or 68 to support the channel 20 in vertical position with its upper edge abutting or adjacent to the bottom marginal flange 36 or surface of the support 16.

The wall panels 22 may be formed of plywood, composition board, hardboard, or the like, and may be provided with a suitable decorative coating or finish, such as a film laminated thereto or a coating of paint, enamel or the like. Each panel 22 is provided with a vertical line or series of countersunk openings 70 adjacent each vertical margin thereof. The spacing between adjacent openings 70 in the panel at each margin will preferably be equal to the spacing between openings 64 of support channel 20, or some multiple of that spacing, so that each panel 22 may be positioned with each countersunk aperture 70 thereof in registry with an opening 64 in a support channel 20. It will be noted that, since the suspension members 18 slide in the track or guideway of the support 16, positioning of the parts to effect the required registration of openings 70 and 64 can easily be effected, assuming that the uppermost panel openings 70 will have a correlation to the spacing of the uppermost openings 64 in support channel 20 and to the vertical dimensions of the support 16 and its track. This adjustable mounting of the vertical supports 20 also makes possible the positioning of said supports to ensure that adjacent panels 22 will be located in edge abutment in the finished wall structure.

Anchorage of the panels 22 to the vertical supports 20 is preferably effected by the self-locking members 24. In one form thereof, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the members 24 have a head 72 which is adapted to fit snugly in the large diameter part of the panel opening 70 and preferably with its outer surface flush with the exposed surface of the panel 22. Two or more legs 74 part 50 of the channel 20. The divergence of the legs 74 is preferably such that the normal spacing of the outermost surfaces of opposite legs adjacent the hooks 76 will be slightly greater than the diameter of the holes 64.

Thus, panels 22 may be anchored to the support channels by simply pressing the legs of the securing members 24 through the holes 70 of the panel and thence into and through the holes 64 of the vertical support channels 20 as accommodated by a camming action as the curved end surfaces ofthe hooks engage the edges of the openings 64 of the support channels 20. The parts are so proportioned that when the exposed face of the head 72 of a securing member 24 is flush or substantially flush with the exposed face of the panel 22 which engages surfaces 50 of a support 20, the hooks 76 will have passed through the openings 64 of the support and cleared the same to permit the legs 74 to spread outwardly so that the hooks 76 may engage the rear surface of the channel web 60 and effect an interlock with the support channel which firmly holds the concealed face of the panel 22 against the surface of the portion 50 of the support 20. The anchorage of a panel 22 at both margins can thus be effected rapidly after the registration of the apertures 70 thereof with the apertures 64 of the vertical supports 20 has been effected. In instances where it is necessary to use at one end of a wall a panel of narrower width than the standard, panel width, all that is required for installation of such a panel is to cut the panel to desired width and to bore holes 70 in that panel in proper relation to its margin to correlate with a vertical support 20. This can easily be accomplished by the use of a drill and an appropriate template.

An alternate construction of a securing member providing for a positive anchorage can be provided by'a construction as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. In this construction the shank 78 of a screw is passed axially through the securing member with its head 80 located in a countersunk bore in the head 72. The screw shank 78 projects beyond the inner curved ends of the hooks 76. The curved ends of hooks 76 are provided with radial grooves 82. A follower member 84, preferably substantially star-shape having radial projections 86 which terminate in fingers 88, is threaded upon the screw 78. The follower member 84 may constitute a sheet metal disk having a central opening 90 from which project radial slits 92, thereby defining inner tongues engageable with the threads of the screw 78.

Securing members of the type shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 preferably are initially positioned or adjusted with only the tips of the fingers 88 located within the grooves 82. The grooves 82 are of such configuration that the fingers 88 will not interfere with inward deflection of the legs 74 to permit the books 76 to pass into and through the openings 70 and 64. Thereupon rotation of the screw 78 in a direction to draw the follower disk 84 toward the head 80 results in seating or bottoming of the tips of the fingers 88 in the grooves 82 followed by a camming action of the fingers 88 of the member 84 upon the books 76, urging the hooks 76 outwardly, as to produce firm peripheral engagement of legs 74 with the opening 64 in which they are seated.

In order to eliminate need for end abutment of the panels 22 with a horizontal building surface, such as ceiling 12 and floor 14, trim member 26 may be utili'zed. An upper trim member 26 is illustrated in FIG. 3 which may be extruded from plastic or metal or hard rubber. Trim member 26 is preferably characterized by a substantially tubular cross sectional configuration having a wall 94 engageable with the ceiling, a decorative exposed wall extending from wall 94, a panelengaging wall 98, a shoulder-defining wall spaced from and substantially parallel to wall 94 and engabeable with the top edges of the panels 22, and an off-set wall 102 extending from shoulder 100 to wall 94. A lip 104 projects from the junction of the walls 100 and 102 a distance spaced from wall 98 substantially equal to the thickness of the panel 22. When formed of plastic or rubber the trim member -24 may be deformed and pressed into place in the position shown in FIG. 3 at which it will be retained by the locking lip 104 engaging behind the panel 22.

A similar interlock of a lower decorative trim panel or kickboard (not shown) can be effected with the bottom edges of the panels 22 if desired.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the wall panels 22 can be installed or mounted quickly and without requiring skilled workmen. Thus the workmen need only apply horizontal supports 16 in place by pressing them to adhere to a supporting structure 10, after having first assembled the required number of suspension members 18 thereto. Thereupon the upper portion of a vertical support channel 20 of required length and whose upper end has been cut, as upon a guideline in predetermined relation to the openings 64, 66 and 68, may be suspended by each suspension member 18. Panel members 22 can then be applied to the wall for the purpose of guiding the final positioning of the vertical members 20 before such members are adhered to the structure 10 by pressing them in place. Thereupon the panels 22 may be secured to the supports 20 by the application of the securing members 24. The wall is then completed by applying the trim strips or members 26. i

It will be apparent that few tools are required to effect the operation and that a few guides or templates will suffice to ensure requisite accuracy and a proper fit of the parts of the structure when narrow panels 22 must be applied adjacent the ends of a wall or when short panels 22 are required to accommodate door and window openings.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A panel mounting construction comprising,

an elongated rigid track member adapted to be secured in horizontal position to a building structure,

a plurality of suspension members supported by and adjustable along said track member,

a vertical panel support member carried by each suspension member and adapted to be secured to a building structure and having a plurality of vertically aligned apertures therein,

a plurality of panels adapted to be positioned in edge abutting relation and each having a plurality of spaced vertically aligned apertures adjacent each vertical edge thereof, and

a plurality of means securing each vertical marginal portion of a panel to a vertical support member, each securing means fitting in an aperture of a vertical support member and an aperture of a panel.

2. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, and

a horizontal trim member anchored to horizontal edge portions of said abutting panels.

3. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 2, wherein said trim member includes a part adapted to abut a surface of a building structure perpendicular to said panel, a part abutting coplanar outer faces of said panels, a shoulder abutting coplanar edges of said panels, and a rib projecting from said shoulder and seating behind inner faces of said panels.

4. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, and

7. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein each vertical panel support member is a channel having a longitudinal groove-defining off-set in its outer face, said apertures being formed in off-set.

8. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein each vertical panel support member is a channel having a panel abutting part and a plurality of spaced apertured parts projecting angularly from said panel abutting part, and

each suspension member includes opposed lateral projecting parts seating in apertures of said angularly projecting channel parts.

9. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein each vertical panel support member constitutes a channel having spaced opposed apertured parts and a panel engaging part extending at an angle to said opposed parts and having said securing member apertures formed centrally therein,

said suspension member including a shank positioned rearwardly of said panel engaging channel part and lateral projections seating in apertures of said opposed channel parts.

10. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said securing means include a head, a plurality of legs diverging from said head and extending through registering apertures in said panel and a vertical panel support member, and a hook on the end of each leg engageable with said panel support member adjacent an aperture thereof. 

1. A panel mounting construction comprising, an elongated rigid track member adapted to be secured in horizontal position to a building structure, a plurality of suspension members supported by and adjustable along said track member, a vertical panel support member carried by each suspension member and adapted to be secured to a building structure and having a plurality of vertically aligned apertures therein, a plurality of panels adapted to be positioned in edge abutting relation and each having a plurality of spaced vertically aligned apertures adjacent each vertical edge thereof, and a plurality of means securing each vertical marginal portion of a panel to a vertical support member, each securing means fitting in an aperture of a vertical support member and an aperture of a panel.
 2. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, and a horizontal trim member anchored to horizontal edge portions of said abutting panels.
 3. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 2, wherein said trim member includes a part adapted to abut a surface of a building structure perpendicular to said panel, a part abutting coplanar outer faces of said panels, a shoulder abutting coplanar edges of said panels, and a rib projecting from said shoulder and seating behind inner faces of said panels.
 4. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, and adhesive means for securing said vertical panel support members to a building structure.
 5. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, and adhesive means for securing each of said track and vertical support members to a building structure.
 6. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said track member is a channel having a longitudinal groove-defining part in its outer face and having an upwardly rearwardly inclined upper groove surface, and each suspension member includes a slide retained in said groove.
 7. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein each vertical panel support member is a channel having a longitudinal groove-defining off-set in its outer face, said apertures being formed in off-set.
 8. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein each vertical panel support member is a channel having a panel abutting part and a plurality of spaced apertured parts projecting angularly from said panel abutting part, and each suspension member includes opposed lateral projecting parts seating in apertures of said angularly projecting channel parts.
 9. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein each vertical panel support member constitutes a channel having spaced opposed apertured parts and a panel engaging part extending at an angle to said opposed parts and having said securing member apertures formed centrally therein, said suspension member including a shank positioned rearwardly of said panel engaging channel part and lateral projections seating in apertures of said opposed channel parts.
 10. A panel mounting construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said securing means include a head, a plurality of legs diverging from said head and extending through registering apertures in said panel and a vertical panel support member, and a hook on the end of each leg engageable with said panel support member adjacent an aperture thereof. 